At some point or another most dogs bark, and depending on what type of dog you have it can be anything from a high pitched yap to a deep throated growling bark. For some dog owners having a dog that barks is not a problem for others is can be a cause of great frustration for both themselves and the neighbours.

If you dog falls into the second category, there are some simple measures you can take to try and prevent or at least minimise the barking.

Firstly you need to find out what is causing the barking:

Is it attention seeking; do you rush outside and talk to or play with your dog to stop them from barking?

Is it frustration: if a dog is locked up, or in an enclosed yard where they can see others but cannot get close to them?

Is there a problem: may dog owners are happy for their dog to bark if there is a genuine reason eg someone prowling around, it’s the knowing what’s real and what’s barking at shadows that causes the problem.

There are other causes but these are some of the most common.

Once you know the cause you must then try and either prevent it or re-train both yourself and your dog.

If the first example is used: attention seeking, you must not go and play with your dog or let him inside, this is in fact rewarding your dog: Bark and he gets to be with you. Instead when you hear him barking immediately go outside and use a firm “no” command. Many people also use a bottle of water and spray it at the dog to stop it from barking, this can be very beneficial, unless of course it’s something your dog associates with playtime (some dogs love chasing water).

The same will apply if your dog seems to be barking for no reason at all. Of course first you need to make sure, many times a dog will be barking at something you perceive as normal, yet is extremely disconcerting to your dog, if that’s the case try to teach your dog there is nothing harmful to be found eg be with your dog when it’s barking at the wind blowing through a tree and remain calm etc.

If it’s a frustration bark: try changing your dogs surroundings, you can bring him inside or put in a yard away from where he will see or hear what is going on around him.

There are alternative methods such as special collars that will spray a mist at your dog when they bark, some dog collars will also provide a small shock to your dog (though I don’t recommend that method at all.) There is also a surgery that can be performed in what I consider extreme cases, and is not often recommended.